"Ukulele" = "Oo koo lay lay" - right?

I live in Hawaii and I love Hawaiian music, so I am learning a lot of vocabulary because I like to know what I am singing about. I also love language, and am fascinated by foreign languages. I grew up in Southern California. Although I speak some Spanish, I do not say "Los Angeles" like I am speaking Spanish. I also speak French fluently and only say "Pair ee" for Paris when I am speaking French, although sometimes I will say the proper French pronunciation for words like croissant or café au lait if I am speaking English, it just kind of slips out because that is how it is stored in my brain.

Since I moved to Hawaii I am trying to be more aware of pronouncing things properly. I have always been pretty good with Hawaiian word pronunciations, but my biggest hurdle so far, surprisingly, is Honolulu. Most people say "Hah nah loo loo" but it is HO NO loo loo. The O's are short duration, like saying 'no' to a naughty dog. I admit I still say "Hanalulu" more than I get it right, but I am working on it!

I hear lots of locals pronounce ukulele either way, but I must admit that most Hawaiian music performers will only say oo-koo-lele.
 
janeray1940 said:
The funny thing about the names debate - my first name* is French, and I pronounce it that way when I introduce myself to people (with an ä like in father). Almost without fail, they completely ignore the way I pronounced it and proceed to pronounce it the American way (with an a like in marry). And I really, really don't care either way - as long as they are remotely close, I'm cool with it.
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If someone met you and instantly pronounced your name in your way, I guess you would be amazed, even maybe feel more likely be respected. Also may feel that person really know the word.

We can say in our way which we feel comfort. There are hundreds ways to speak a word. Thats how every different ones in defferent way and different method. Happily debate we could. No one wrong.

mds725 said:
This reminds me of the debate over how one should pronounce the names of people whose names are in languages other than English. If a person is named Jesus and pronounces his own name "Hay-soos" (the way this word would be pronounced in Spanish), I don't feel like I should be calling him "Gee-sus" simply because that's how the word would be pronounced in my language.
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That sounds more convincing.

The Big Kahuna said:
Pronounce it any way you like. Just bear in mind how stupid non-Hawaiians sound when they pronounce "Hawaii" with a "v", or over-emphasise the glottal stop in Hawaiian words. My general rule of thumb is; if you want to show respect to native Hawaiians (and let's face it, how many of us have actually met a real one, rather than a retired orthodontist from Sacramento who moved to the islands a year ago and has decided he's now a "native"), don't butcher their language.
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I feel sorry if I did...:( I do not know I have butchered their language when I say Oo-koo-lay-lay. I also didn't know that every tourist came to our city and try to say "hello" in our language was just butchering our language... I though they were being friendly...:(
 
We have a lot of Hawaiians here in So Cal. I can't imagine a Hawaiian being offended by someone mispronouncing the word ukulele. But if you really want to talk about respect (IMO) they would be offended by a screen name that is totally disrespectful to their culture and especially lacking in Aloha.
 
It's just a word. Pronounce it in a manner which will be understood by those who hear it. I don't object when Hawaiians pronounce English words in their own colourful fashion - eg "brother" - so I'm sure they would not mind the way I say "ukulele".
 
ukantor said:
It's just a word. Pronounce it in a manner which will be understood by those who hear it. I don't object when Hawaiians pronounce English words in their own colourful fashion - eg "brother" - so I'm sure they would not mind the way I say "ukulele".
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I agree with this. But for the OP there is an answer. It's a Hawaiian word. U in Hawaiian is always pronounced oo, unless it comes after an A. Those two make an ow sound.
A Hawaiian saying unique like oo-nique would be mispronouncing the English word no matter where they are in the world or how their native tongue pronounces a U.

But no one would be offended pretty much no one cares. Hawaiian's butcher English on a whole other level. Language is for expression and communication. With as many cultures that collided here we just try to understand each other. If thoughts can be conveyed then we can share them with each other.
 
I pronounce it "ooo-koo-leh-leh", definitely not "ooo-koo-lay-lay". There's a difference.
I feel that when I pronounce it like this, I'm not trying to be be Hawaiian or trying to pretend I'm Hawaiian. I'm from Guam, speak Chamorro and I've very proud of it. When I lived in the states for 12 years, I only played ukulele (no guitar) and would always just refer to it as "ooo-k" and never "yooo-k" to those who weren't familiar with hearing "ooo-koo-leh-leh".

It's not that big of a deal, I mean, I still don't know how to correctly pronounce "BVLGARI".
 
Every instrument name seems to have a hidden meaning-

ours is "You kill L.A."-
Don't blame me just because I wrote "The Hearpe" It won't be appearing in theatres soon, and wood NOT really "kill L.A."
http://thehearpe.tripod.com/index.html

Whoom! there it is!

Remember when Siam had Hawaii and bombed "The Bay"? Probably not, and also not appearing in theatres soon-
you'll have to settle for Apocalypse Now
and Lance who chickens and out has to go anyway.
It's more like Nazi America invaded the South Pacific anyway I think.....

Must've been when Arthur Godfrey was President. but I think it was Joe Ford then.

now I have to practice my violins, Droogies.
 
joeguam said:
I pronounce it "ooo-koo-leh-leh", definitely not "ooo-koo-lay-lay". There's a difference.
I feel that when I pronounce it like this, I'm not trying to be be Hawaiian or trying to pretend I'm Hawaiian. I'm from Guam, speak Chamorro and I've very proud of it. When I lived in the states for 12 years, I only played ukulele (no guitar) and would always just refer to it as "ooo-k" and never "yooo-k" to those who weren't familiar with hearing "ooo-koo-leh-leh".

It's not that big of a deal, I mean, I still don't know how to correctly pronounce "BVLGARI".
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I grew up in Hawai'i, so that's exactly how I pronounce it now that I'm here in California! ("ooo-koo-leh-leh," and "ooo-k" for short, but I don't often shorten it). I'm not Hawai'ian, but that's where I learned how to pronounce it, and it's where I learned respect for the language.

Most Californians I've run into seem to understand that pronunciation, even if they don't use it themselves.
 
Sorry Bill

What's in a name? A uke by any other name would sound as sweet.
 
My 1000th post: In before lockdown!

This has beaten to death since the beginning of UU in at least 5 threads (or so it seems). Consensus: The world is a big, diverse place where everyone is entitled to an opinionated opinion.
 
Hippie Guy said:
This has beaten to death since the beginning of UU in at least 5 threads (or so it seems).
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Except in those debates "back in the day", there was quite a bit of stubborn arguing on both sides. Thing got pretty heated.

This thread is actually pretty tame, and it seems like most people are fine with whatever. How refreshing! No reason for a threadlock that I can see.

...yet. :)
 
Yet . . . just don't give 'em any ideas. JK!
 
Many of us who have never been to Hawaii know the ukulele as a yew-ka-lay-lee. Well, in the UK and other parts of the world I have visited so far anyway. Does it matter? We don't all speak a zillion languages and anyone who thinks a perceived mispronunciation of a name indicates disrespect is just crazy. Most folk seem unable to spell or say my name correctly when they first see it, I don't read any malice or disrespect into that and nor would any reasonable person. If we spoke about ook oo le les around here, no-one would have the foggiest idea what we meant.

Does it matter anyway? I think in the big scheme of things, it doesn't and its up to the individual what pronunciation they choose to use. Makes no difference to my love for the little instruments, though, or my UAS!
 
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